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Episode 28: Lose a Half-elf, Gain a Half-elf
* We finish resting above Deathcrawl's lair. Vahlka tells everyone about how Sethokesh sensed another dragonblade nearby, but only for a moment. * Vahlka gets Boris to sniff around for the archelogists. He leads us down the main stairway all the way to a semi hidden doorway with a strange lever mechanism to open it. After a little ingenuity and some strength checks from Vahl and Kasun, we get the door open. There's a sign that says "Dungeon.". * We sneak into the dungeon complex, taking out several guard drakes stealthily. We find a large chamber where several dragon cultist appear to being harassed by a ettin - but its an illusion. A hooded figure in a large cloak is crawling on the ceiling like a spider. Quickly, Barkley decides to use her channel divinity and add a illusory duplicate of her own to the mayhem. * The mysterious figure joins us in the resulting fight. We make pretty short work of the cultists until their leader comes out, a tiefling archmage named Warden Aisling. * Aisling casts Prismatic Spray and manages to catch three of us with the banishing effect, but Vahlka and Lucius manage to save against it. Kasun, however, disappears to a plane unknown. * Aisling casts something on Deacon, Vahlka attempts to counterspell it but fails the DC by 1 and Deacon is feebleminded. (LOUD SOBBING) * Aisling is caught with a mind blasting effect from Desdemona - which forces her to try and attack with her dagger rather than cast anything. * Barkley and Vahlka team up and tackle Aisling. With the gnome encouraging Vahlka to "Do her thing" and letting the drow have at her. Vahlka immediately breaks the mage's arm and most of her fingers. * The archmage casts irresistible dance on Vahlka (who nat 20s a pointless perform check as always) and tries to run, but is blocked from retreating by Boris. * Aisling firebolts Boris, which of course pisses Vahlka off a lot, who saves against the irresistible dance and runs up and slugs her - knocking her out. Vahlka breaks her fingers, binds her arms behind her back, and gags her then drags her back to the rest of the group. * The mysterious figure out of the cell reveals herself to be Tristram Vaas, a half-elf witch. She makes to leave, but Vahlka convinces her to stay because traveling the Underdark alone is dangerous. * Barkley meanwhile tries to help Deacon, Lucius identifies what happened to him as a Feeblemind enchantment and tells us the only way to fix it is powerful clerical magic (Greater Restoration). Barkley cries and Deek hugs her. Vahlka staves off emotions with callousness as is typical. * We investigate the rest of the facility and find Ander, an arcanist from the Runehunters Guild who had also been captured by the cult. We let him out of his cell and head back to the main group. * Tristram somehow convinces Deek to pet Boris. Vahlka's shriveled black heart grows three sizes at the sight. * We start a short rest and end for the night. Chatzy Summary * Vahlka questions Ander a bit, who reveals his association with the Runehunters Guild and how his guild had uncovered an artifact the cult seemed to take interest in. A large horn buried somewhere in the northern Underdark. * Vahlka is distracted by Tristram, who shows the drow her magic beans. Hilarity ensues as the bean grows a bunch of pink frogs who when touched turn into various beasts. Vahlka and Trist end up fighting a cockatrice and then a intellect devourer. The half-elf convinces Vahlka to let her try one more bean, producing a goat. Which Vahlka is immediately confused and mildly horrified by??? * Vahlka sneaks off to use Deacon's illusion stone to contact Andrith - which works. They have a short and mostly fruitless conversations in which Vahlka tells Andrith that Deacon's been feebleminded but is otherwise unharmed and Andrith tells Vahlka she's not ready to have this conversation then runs. * Barkley and Vahlka talk about what's been going on and whether they want to try and turn back. They also talk to Trist and Ander and try and get more information. NEXT EPISODE